Hotel Bel-Air Restaurant

06/08/06

WOW - Best Dining Experience

by barney123 at Citysearch

The atmosphere was wonderful! The service was superior! The food was out of this world!

This is the place to take that special someone. Romance is everywhere. I have never been to a more romantic setting. You truly feel as if you have been transported to some remote romantic island.

We ordered the Bel-Air Tasting Menu with selected wines. WOW (I can not stop saying that). The theme of the meal was cherries, which were married perfectly with each course. The Foie Gras and the duck were superb.

This is the place to go when proposing marriage or for an anniversary. The experience is not cheap, but you truly feel that it is worth every cent.

FYI - Stay at the Hotel so you can fully appreciate the wines...

• Pros: atmosphere, food, service
• Cons: none

01/11/06

double paradise on the rocks

by bigfatcat at Citysearch

This by far is my favorite spot in all of LA. Want to impress anyone? Bring them here. Case closed. A first date here and you never have to date again! The staff, classy oldschool, makes everyone feel special. The drinks are pricey(and stiff) but then again you are at the hotel bel-air. Extra added bonus.... you can walk the paradise-like grounds with your drinks and your date! I have never had a bad time here... I wish all other LA spots treated you as well as they do here.

• Pros: service, ambience
• Cons: none

10/30/04

Awesome !

by shulmjo at Citysearch

This restaurant treats everyone like they're special. The food was wonderful, our lunch unfolded slowly and eloquently. This place is a DEFINITE for a special occasion. Plus, did I mention the gardens, the foliage???? Simply fantastic.

04/27/04

AWESOME

by ripken000 at Citysearch

EVERYTIME I have been here the service has been outstanding and the food is even better than the service. EVERY ONE should try TABLE ONE at least once in their life. It is the private dining area in the back looking right into the kitchen. WORLD CLASS dining andworld class service. They do it right. It will be EXTREMELY Pricey, but it is worth every penny you spend.

• Pros: AMBIENCE, SERVICE, FOOD

10/15/03

A lush patio and refined Cal-French fare set a dazzling scene for any occasion.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
This posh retreat along a winding Bel Air street has been the setting for celebrations and celebrities since 1943. The main dining room is warm and plush, but the bougainvillea-lined terrace is the real draw. Couples canoodle at cozy, private tables while well-heeled families gather against a backdrop of lush foliage and fragrant flowers. Seasoned servers treat everyone like Hollywood royalty.

The Food
Chef Douglas Dodd features a seasonally changing menu using meats and cheeses from small Western farms, herbs from the hotel's garden, and fresh local seafood. Most starters, like plump, seared scallops offset by creamy, lavender-scented risotto and sweet English pea sauce, are divine. Traditional combinations have clever contrasts, like succulent smoked pork chop with sweet-tart caramelized apples, sided with salty curried pastina (tiny droplets of dough) and tender rock shrimp. For a decadent ending, warm and rich chocolate Valhrona cake with pistachio cream sauce is a must.

06/03/03

Elegant, style over substance

by artmaven at Citysearch

This IS a beautiful place, in the traditional sense, with the best of silver and service. Waiters are gracious, if a bit mechanical, and the food is simply good. NOT great. Not even close, although the waiters act like it is, as do the regulars who like to be seen there. Traditional French which would barely make the top 20 percent in an East Coast city.

• Pros: Setting
• Cons: Average food, high prices

11/13/02

Elegant & Romantic

by artsygirl at Citysearch

This is a beautiful spot to go for a special occasion...

From the moment you arrive on the grounds, you are overcome with a special feeling.

Can't say enough good things about this place!

10/03/02

Unimpressed

by Flower at Citysearch

We went to Hotel Bel-Air for our 1st anniversary and were quite disappointed. While it was very romantic. The service was incredibley poor and the food was good but not anything special. Never did our server ever inquire as to how our food was (my husband's steak was over-cooked). We ordered wine, which they kept in a cooler across the way and never re-filled our glasses. Every time we needed something we had to flag someone down to ask for it. All that and a $200+ bill. I don't mind paying that much money for exceptional food and service, but this was NOT it.

• Pros: romantic, decent food
• Cons: poor service, terrible value

08/13/02

One of the best in LA

by DvsMark at Citysearch

Simply one of the best places that I've been to.

• Pros: not crowded, good food, good parking
• Cons: expensive

06/24/02

THe Best in LA

by Oscar at Citysearch

The Hotel Bel-Air has an outstanding restaurant. From appetizer to desert, the food is incredible, the service unmatched (though the waiters are all a bit stuffy and are unlikely to crack a smile even once), and the setting perfect. If it isn't freezing cold or raining, ask for a table on the patio when you make a reservation. Everything about my meal was perfect except that the clams and asparagus that accompanied the Halibut I ordered were cold. Not warm or cool, but actually cold. As if they had been in the refrigerator just before being served. One mistake, though, in an otherwise perfect experience.

• Pros: Beautiful Patio, Food, Impeccable service
• Cons: Expensive